Automobile.



0. -J. PAULSON.

AUTOMOBILE. APPLICATION FILED OUT. 19,1907.

mh r 8 1. w w Wm m HH Va w J m m M 0 m N w 6 d 2 W H r 6 am t m a P 6 h w Witnesses:

1; yam 7 G. J. PAULSON. AUTOMOBILE. APPLICATION FILED 001'. 19,1907.

903,762; Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

Witnesses: Inventor:

Charla; JPa 1;]5021,

g By his Attorney %Q.@W

- To. all whom it inai concern} UNITED STATES, PATENT. OFFICE.

' oHAR Es'nraIiLsoN; OF BROOKLYN, NEW

HUNDREDTHS TO KENNETH. r. JUNOR AND THIRTY-SEVEN oNE- UunR nTss r0. PH-EBE sJmoLAum YORK; ASSIGNOR F FORTY-THREE ONE- AND ONE-HALF 'BOTH' OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK:

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

salesman October 19,1907. Serial 11 .3%,142.

- Be it known that '1, CHARLES J. PAULsoN, a subject of the Kingof Sweden, residing in Brooklyn',;in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobiles, of-

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to drivingnlechanism for motor vehicles'of various kinds such driven byelectric motors or explosive engines; and has for its object to provide means in the. nature of an auxiliary spring power device, from them'otor and also from the momentum ofthe car can be stored in the spring, to ass st 1n runn ng thecar; or if the motor becomes dlsabled the vehicle" can be propelled a short distance.

The accompanying drawing represents one embodiment of my' invention. I

Figure lshows a motor vehicle in side ele vation', with a 'portion'of the. side broken away showing the. driving mechamsm. Fig.

2 is a similar view in fragmentary form en-v larged. Flg. 3 1s a rear elevation with the frame broken away.. Fig; 4 is a similar view in plan: Fig. 5 shows the spring and connected parts. Fig. 6 shows the spring and gearing andother parts connected there with; and Figs. 7'and 8 show in side andend elevations respectively a ratchet device for automatically connecting and disconnecting the driving-shaftand the spring member.

The motor vehicle has most of the mechanism contained inside of the bod'y B, .and is shown as driven by an electric motordenoted generally by M that may be supplied with current from a storage battery S. The shaft 12 of the motor carries aworm 13 en gaging a worm wheel 14 rotatable on a staflfillilly shaft 15 suitably-supported an the body. The worm is not secured on the shaft but is rotated by spline16 on the shaft 12 engaging 11 slot 17 in the worm. A'sprlng 18 normally presses the worm against a thrustbearingJlS). When the worm is ro-- tated by the motor to. revolve the wheel in.

the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 2

.the worm will be pressed against. the thrust bearing,- But if the worm wheel is itself caused to revolve in the same direction, the worm will be shifted towardv the motor and whereby a surplus of power this direction. A coil spring 19' has its inner end secured to the hub 20 of the Worm wheel 14, while its outer end is secured to a gear-21 rotatable on "the shaft 15. The latter gear meshes with a pinion 22 that is 'secured to a. gear 23, such members being rotatably supported bya bracket 24. The gear 23 meshes with a pinion 25 fast to a sleeve 26 rotatable on the shaft 15.

Suitable means are providedfor. driving the rear axle 27- from this sleeve 26, and such means are arranged to driveit in either direction as desired.- A chai11 28 engages a sprocket 29 on the sleeve 26 and also en-' gages a sprocket 30 on a short shaft 31 suitably supported in the frame. On the latter shaft is a gear 32 from which a chain 33 passes to a gear 34fast on the rear axle 27.

The shaft 31 carries a gear 35 that'is driven in the opposite direction from a gear 36 on sleeve 26, through intermediate gears 37 and 3S but the gears 30 and 35 are not fast on the intermediate shaft directly, but either oneis secured thereto bymeans of.

a clutch member 39 shiftable to engage clutch members 40 and 41 connected with the said gears, the clutch member 39 being s'lidable on the shaft but rotatable therewith.

A lever 42 connects with the clutch member 39 and-extends forward for a convenient opclutch eration by the chauffeur. When the member 40 is engaged by the slidable clutch member 39, the car will be driven forward v through the intermediate gears; but when the movable clutch member ,engages the backward.

clutchmember 41, the car will be driven On the shaft 12 ofthe motor is loosely mounted a bevel gear 43 carrying a pawl 44 adapted to engage a ratchet wheel 45 fast. on the shaft, the pawl-being normallyretained out of engagement by a s'pring46u Bevel. gear 43 meshes with a bevel gear 47 fast on a short shaft 48 suitably mounted intheframe. A spur gear 49 fast on shaft 48 carries a chain passing to a sprocket 50 fast on the rear axle," a suitable weight 65 is fast on the other end of the pawl 44 and upon a certain speed being reached, thetain speed, a governor 51 suitably driven from shaft 48 operates a switch 52 to reduce,

the current supplied to the motor, or other- .wise suitably reduce, the power of the motor.

When the spring 19* becomes unwound, it engages a finger on a brake bar 53 and presses the latter against a fly wheel 54: on the sleeve 26, thereby arresting the mechanism. As'the spring is wound up the pin 55 is drawn inward and releases the brake band.

A hand lever and carries two pawls 61 and 62 that engage a ratchet wheel 63 fast to or a partof the worm wheel 14.

The operation is as follows: When the 'motor is started, through the worm and,

worm wheel, the inner end of the spring 1s rotated winding up the spring. The outer end of the spring is connected through the gearing, clutch mechanism, and chains with the rear axle, and upon the spring being wound up sufiiciently it will drive the axle.-'

The spring on the ratchet 44 will hold it out of engagement, but at a certain predetermined speed, the weight will be thrown out and engage. the ratchet. But at'such a speed, the governor will have reduced the power of the motor, and the pawl and ratchet wheel being now connected, the momentum of the car will through the driving axle and thispawl and ratchet, and the worm and worm wheel, serve to wind up the spring by the rotation of the axle through the direct connection of the clutch members and other parts. As soon as the s eed becomes considerably reduced the motor will again be permitted to exert its full power and the pawl and ratchet will disengage. If the motor should stop at any time, the spring would be wound up under considerable tension, andit will serve to drive the car a short distance. Hence if the motor or the power device becomes disabled the spring driving mechanism can be used to propel the car to a convenient garage or repair station. When the motor stops the worm willhold the worm wheel l istationary, and hence the sleeve 20 to which the inner end of the spring-is secured is held stationary. The spring being under tension, its unwinding will rotate the gear 21 in the same direction that this gear is rotated by the op-' eration of 'the motor, andtherefore the car will be driven in the same direction it would be driven were the motor running, which direction is determined by the position of the movable gear member] But if" there is not sufficient power in the spring to drive the car such distance, then the spring can be put under. tension again by means of 60 is pivoted on the shaft 15 a spring .member,

the hand lever 60, and thi s lever, caiii" be operated to propel the car at a slow speed for any considerable distance desired.- Evi-= dently, this lever can be also used to furnlsh additional power when required'for ascending grades, This lever mechanism'and pawl in connection with the spring can be used independently of any motor for propelling light vehicles-such as used for the delivery of goods for tradesmen. While the vehicle could not be driven directly by the lever, the power can be stored up, in the. spring and then be used todrive the vehlcl e.

Having thus described my invention, I

1. In a'motor vehicle,,-the combination of a motor connected with one end of the'springmember, the other end of the springmember being connected with the driving wheels whereby-1 the motor will wind upthespring and thereupon rotate the driving wheels through the. spring, a governor connected with the driving wheels, means for causing'the governor upon reaching a certain predetermined speed to reduce thepower of the motor,imechanism connecting the motor with the driving wheels separate from the said springconnection, said latter mechanism, includlng' a {connecting member that 1s, normally inoperative and d1 sconnects such mechanism, but which upon attaining a certain predeterminedv speed will throw such mechanism into engagement and thereby through saidmotor connection with the spring end will wind up the spring throu h the rotation .of'the driving wheels cause by the momentum of the car, assisted" by the reduced. power of the motor.

2. In a motor vehicle,-the combination of a spring member, amotor] connected with one end of the spring member, the other end of the spring member being connected with the driving wheels whereby the motor will,

wind up the springand thereupon rotate the driving wheels through the spring, a governor connected with the driving wheels,

means for causing the governor-upon reaching a certain predetermined-speed to reduce the power of the motor, mechanism connecting the motor with'the driving wheels separate from the said spring connection, said latter mechanism including a connectingmember that is normally inoperative and disconnects'such mechanism, but which upon attaining a-certain predetermined speed will throwsuch mechanism into engagement and thereby through said motor connection with the spring end will wind up the spring through the rotation of the driving wheels caused .by the momentum of the car, assisted by the reduced power of the motor, a lever on thecar in position to be 0 erated by the driver, connections between t e spring and the lever whereby the spring canbe wound ing axle.

up, and means in the connection between I the motor and the spring whereby the motor will be automatically -disconnected when the .s rin is wound u b said lever.

3. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a motor, a worm on the motor shaft, a worm wheel engaging said worm, a spring having one end connected. with the worm wheel, mechanism connecting the other end of the s )rin with the drivin axle of the vehicle mechanism connecting the motor shaft with the rea'raxle independent ofmsaid spring,

, said-latter mechanism including a pawl and ratchet wheel connection, a spring normally holding the pawl out. of engagement with the ratchet wheel whereby said connection is inoperative, a weight on said pawl arranged to shift the pawl to engage theratchet wheel at a certain predetermined speed tov eifect said connection between themotor and drivees'In 'a motor vehicle, the combination of amotor, aworm on the motor shaft, a worm wheel engaging said worm, a spring having one end connected with the worm."wl1eel,.

mechanism connecting the other end of the spring with the driving axle of the vehicle,

mechanism connecting the motor shaft-with the rear axle independent of said spring,

said latter mechanism including a pawl and ratchet wheel connection, a spring normally holding the pawl out of engagementjwith the ratchet whee'lwhereby said connection is inoperative, a weight on said pawl ar-. ranged to shift the pawl to engage the ratchet wheel at a certain predetermined speed to effect said connection between the motor and driving axle, a overnor driven from the rear axle, and means for reducing the power of the motor when the governor attains a certain predetermined speed.

5. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a motor, a wormon themotor shaft, a worm wheel engaging said worm, a spring having oneend connected with the worm wheel,

mechanism connecting the other end of the spring with the driving axle of the vehicle,

mechanism connecting the motor shaft with the rear :axle independent of said .spring, said latter mechanism including a pawl and ratchet wheel connection, a spring normally holding the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet wheel whereby said connection is inoperative, a weight on said pawl arranged to shift the pawl to engage the ratchet wheel at a certain predetermined speed to effect said connection between the motor and driving axle, a lever 011 the car, connections between the lever and the spring whereby the latter maybe wound up from the lever, said worm being shiftable on the motor shaft whereby winding up ofthe spring will cause endwise movement of'the worm to shift "out of engagement with the worm wheel, and a.

spring normally retaining the worm in engagement with the worm wheel;

(3. In a motor vehicle, the combinationof a motor, a worm on the motor shaft, a worm wheel engaging said'worm, aspring having one end connected with the worm wheel, mechanism;connecting the other end of the spring with the driving axle of the vehicle, mechanism coimecting the motor shaft with the 'rearaxle independentof said spring, said latter mechanism including a pawl and ratchetwheel connection, a spring normally holding the ratchet out of engagement with the pawl whereby said connection is inoperative, a weight on sa1d pawl arranged to shift the pawl to engage the ratchet wheel at a certain predetermined speed to effect-said connection between the motor and dr1v1ngaxle, a lever-on the car, connections between the lever and the spring whereby the latter may be wound up from the lever, said worm being shiftable on the motor shaft whereby the winding up of'the spring will cause endwise movement'of the worm to shift out of engagemeiit with the worm wheel, and a spring normally'retaining the worm in en gagement with the worm wheel, a governor driven from the. real-axle, and means forreducing the power of the motor when the governor attams a certain predetermined v speed:

7. In amotor vehicle, the combination with a motor and a spring member, of means for automatically effecting a reduction of the power supplied to the motor upon the vehicle attaining a certain predetermined motor, connections between the drivingwheels and the spring permitting the wheels to be driven by the spring member, a hand lever, and connections between the'hand lever and the spring permitting the spring to be wound up thereby.'

9. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a motor, asprlng connected with the motor to -be wound up thereby, connectlons between the spring'andthe driving wheels permit-- ting the motor to drive the-wheels through.

the spring when the spring is wound up, means for disconnecting .the motor and'the spring member, a handle-ver, and means for permitting the hand lever to wind up the spring to drive the wheels, said means being organized to perm-it the hand lever to assist the motor in propelling the car.

10. Ina motor vehicle, the combination of a motor, a spring member connected with lever, and connections "betweenthe hand 7 the motor to be wound up thereby, and con- '1eve1" and the spring permitting the spring 10 'nections between the'spring member and the to be wound up thereby. v

driving'wheels to permit the vehicle-t0 be driven by the spring member, the connections being arranged to 'cause the vehicle to Witnesses:

"QHAR Es Jj PAULSON- I FRED J; DOWLE.

be driven by the motor through the'sglilring WILLIAM- Hi'REID,

member when wound up thereby, a 

